Mason Strehl
Growing up in Alaska taught me one thing - weather can’t get in the way of getting out and having a good time. It may be -40F and well past sunset, but somebody needs to break out those snowshoes and make some tracks. It may be pouring rain and gusting wind at 20mph, but there probably won’t be a better time to get that canoe out on the river for a paddle. When the weather is rough its the best time to get out and get lost for a bit - it makes for more exciting adventure, and memories that last a lifetime. I’ve lived for pushing the bar and getting to beautiful places. Through all that, a camera is at my side to capture the beauty and share it.
Look, my thing is authenticity - I love set design and take pride in making every shoot cohesive and complete. Every activity I shoot I actually do, which allows me to approach every day behind the camera with insight into the gear, the mindset, and the setting that is true to the activity. It matters what kind of tent is in the shot, what kind of clothes people are wearing, or what kind of water bottle PCT hikers use. You get one chance to get it right, and people can tell if it’s not quite right, even if they can’t tell why.
I am a self-taught photographer, with 8 years of experience developing my portrait, commercial, landscape, and music photographic portfolios. Over the past 5 years, I have had the opportunity to travel all over the country for both work and play, further developing my skills along the way.
Let's create something:
CV
My journey in photography, design, and activism has been an interesting one. I’ll just start from the beginning.
Highlights, in bullet points:
Co-Directed Netflix “Underdogs” Hip-Hop Documentary (2016-2019)
-Handled logistics, photography, and co-directed
-Filmed all over the world in Virgina, New York, London, and a few stops in France
Documentary won several awards including Best Documentary at the DTLA Film Fest, Nominated Best Documentary at the Lift-off Global Network Film Fest, The Official Selection for Best Film at the Paris Independent Film Fest, the official nomination of Hip Hop Film Fest NYC, and many more.
- Distributed through Trace Content Distribution to be released late 2019.- Distributed on Netflix worldwide
Commercial Photography Work (2014-Present)
- Worked for clients such as Pelican, Husky Liners, Honda, Mazda, Sierra Designs, Mountain Hardwear, Eddie Bauer, Mountain Khakis, Vice, Granite Gear, Biolite, Cathay Pacific, Kenwood Wines, and many others.Field Journal Publication
- filled with writing, photos, inspiration from my favorite artists, and advocacy for important issues
- As of July 2020, I have written, designed, published, printed, and distributed 10 issues of the magazine
- I have had the eyes of 500-1000 folks peeking into the pages each month, and have donated all proceeds from sales to non-profits and charities such as the American Civil Liberties Union, The Environmental Defense Fund, The Yellowhammer Fund, the National Parks Foundation, Black Voters Matter, Direct Relief, Navajo nation, and Color Of Change.#CreativesVote
- A social media campaign aimed at registering folks to vote, and to actually get them to the polls regardless of party affiliation.
- Reached a potential audience of around 12 million people (The combined number of followers of everyone involved), and had 356,561 (Dec. 2018 count) people engage with #CreativesVote posts.Marketing Manager @ Zenbivy (2019-Present)
- In charge of all social media & ambassador program, email campaigns, and creative planning for operations and ad spaces.
- Product testing and design input on new products and projects.
- On staff photographer including studio work for all commerce needs. On staff copywriter for all blog content, support guides, and web content.
- Responsible for increased social media presence (organic Instagram growth x10 in one year), quadrupled email lists, and unified brand look across platforms and website.
Now, if you’ve got the time, here’s the long version:
I first made my foray into photography in a professional setting in college. I was involved in the Mountain Sports program at Western State Colorado University. A hobby in shooting action sports - mountain biking, XC skiing, free ride skiing, and more - turned into a job when I accepted the position of Media Director for the program. This position demanded that I took control of a team of photographers and writers, to make sure we had consistent coverage of events, both at home in Crested Butte Colorado, or in our travels across the country. During this time, I covered professional events such as the USA Cycling Championships, Freeride World Qualifier stops, and many more.
While all this was going on, I balanced time with another passion of mine - Music. I took up music artist management in early 2014 with my first clients, a hip hop group from the east coast by the name of Awon & Phoniks. I managed all social media content, handled all legal and logistical provided photography and videography work, and toured both the eastern US and Europe with them. In mid 2015 we embarked on the filming of a documentary titled “Underdogs” with french director Teo Frank. I worked as co-director, photographer, and handled logistics for the production, which we filmed in Virgina, New York, London, and a few stops in France.Now, in 2019, that film is working it’s way through several film festivals and has won several awards including Best Documentary at the DTLA Film Fest, Nominated Best Documentary at the Lift-off Global Network Film Fest, The Official Selection for Best Film at the Paris Independent Film Fest, the official nomination of Hip Hop Film Fest NYC, and many more. The documentary Was licensed to Red Bull TV and Netflix from 2019-2021.
Back to photography - I have shot professionally across the spectrum. I have shot music, portraiture, weddings, and worked for many brands in the outdoor and automotive industry. My time being the camera has allowed me to be professional and proficient with my equipment, as well as allowed me to familiarize myself with studio strobes, lighting, and a number of FX contraptions. A few of the companies i have worked with include Pelican, Husky Liners, Honda, Mazda, Sierra Designs, Mountain Hardwear, Granite Gear, and many others.
Since July of 2018, I have been publishing a monthly magazine following my adventures titled the Field Journal. It’s a short print publication filled with writing, photos, inspiration from my favorite artists, and advocacy for important issues. It’s a place for me to organize my thoughts from the month and to give back to the people who follow my journey. As of June 2019, I have written, designed, published, printed, and distributed 7 issues of the magazine. I have had the eyes of 500-1000 folks peeking into the pages each month, and have donated all proceeds from sales to non-profits and charities such as the American Civil Liberties Union, The Environmental Defense Fund, The Yellowhammer Fund, and the National Parks Foundation.
Lastly, I have a history of social media activism, and will continue to use my platform on social media to fight for the environment, good governance, and the expansion of rights for under-represented people. During the 2018 Election I created and organized the #CreativesVote initiative. This was a social media campaign aimed at registering folks to vote, and to actually get them to the polls. The whole campaign was set not to follow a specific party line, but to encourage people to raise their voices and advocate and vote for their own interests, regardless of their political lean or affiliation. This campaign was successful, and with the help of some amazing friends and colleagues, we were able to reach a potential audience of around 12 million people (The combined number of followers of everyone involved), and had 356,561 (Dec. 2018 count) people engage with #CreativesVote posts. I said throughout the campaign, if even 1% of the potential audience went to the polls, we mobilized 120,000 people to vote. I will continue this initiative for the 2020 election as well.
I am deeply driven by people, stories, and how they connect and interact with our environment. The stories I write and capture focus on the human aspect of our experiences, and I love to capture the authentic stories and raw emotions that come with life. I will always be committed to the environment, and the importance of preserving natural spaces as a place to escape and restore peace of mind both in the present and the future. I aim to lead by example, and as such, I currently consume only renewable energy, advocate for responsible use of public lands, and am carbon neutral both in my business and personal life due to carbon offsetting.
